Lawn-mower



(No Model.)

N. A. BATOHELLER.

LAWNMOWEB.. i No. 437,808. Patented Oct. 7, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

NELSON A. BATCHELLER, OF BLACK RIVER FALLS, WISCONSIN.

LAWN-MOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,808, dated October7, 1890'.

Application tiled January 9, 1890.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELSON A. BATCHEL- LER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Black River Falls, in the county of Jackson andSt-ate of Visconsin, have invented certainnewand useful ImprovementsinLawn- Mowers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andeXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to lawn-mowers, and particularly to the meanswhereby the cutting apparatus is operated.

In an application filed simultaneously herewith, Serial No. 336,457, Ihave shown and described my improved means as applied to reciprocatingcutting apparatus; but the form herein referred to is applicable to whatare known as rotating cutters.

The general object of the present invention is similar to that disclosedin the application before referred to-namely, to provide a mower inwhich the cutting apparatus can be operated independently of the powerdriving the machine.

A further object is to provide a device which shall be simple inoperation, but more effective where rough work is to be done than thoseof its same general character now on the market.

Theinvention therefore consists in the particular means whereby rotatingmovement is given the cutter, all as hereinafter described andspecifically claimed.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-g1Figure 1 is a top view of my improved mower, and Fig. 2 is a sideelevation partly in section.

In the drawings the frame of the machine is shown as composed of twoside platesA A, preferably of iron, having bearings formed at or nearone end for the axle of the wheels B B, forming the front supports forthe machine, and at the other end for the supportingroller C.

The cutter is of the ordinary kind,and cons Serial No. 336,456. (Nomodel.)

sists of blades g, attached to hoops or bands secured upon a shaftsupported at either end in bearings formed upon the platesAA. This shafthas rigidly secured to it at each end a gear d2, adapted to mesh with agear d', secured upon a short-headed shaft bearing in the frame A.

Rotatably supported by the frame A is a second shaft jcarrying neareither end gearwheels d d, meshing with the wheels d d', and it willthus be seen that when motion is imparted to the shaft f the same willbe transmitted through the gears to the rotating cutter, theintermediate gear d being necessary to give the cutter motion in theproper direction.

The handle of the apparatus is principally of ordinary construction, butat its upper part is either cut out or has secured to it an extension,as shown, between the sides of which a sprocket or band Wheel l) maybepivoted. Passing over this Wheel is a sprocket chain or belt c, which inturn passes over a corresponding wheel h', arranged at or near thecenter of the shaft f, before described.

Attached to each end of the shaft carrying the wheel are cranks e e,having suitable handles to which power is applied to rotate the cutter,the same being transmitted through t-he intermediate mechanism referredto.

As a further improvement, I bolt to the upper end of the handle a yokeor frame a, the same being so attached as to swing in a vertical plane.It will .readily be seen, therefore, that the operator can propel themachine by pushing with his breast against this frame, and at the sametime have free use of his hands to operate the cutting apparatus. Thisis not herein claimed, broadly, as it forms a part of and is broadlyclaimed in my aforesaid application.

It will be understood that friction-wheels may be substituted for thegears d CZ d2, or that the gear d may be dispensed with and the pulleysd cl2 be connected by bands.

I am aware that heretofore it has been pro posed to impart motion to therotary cutter by means independent of the propelling power by pivotingupon the side of the handle of the machine a pulley and connecting thesame by a belt to a pulley upon the end of the cutter-shaft. Thisconstruction is defective, however, for the reason, first, that thepower of only one hand of the operator can be applied thereto, as theother hand will have to beused to steady the machine and hold up thehandle, and, second, by reason of the power being applied to only oneend of the cutter-shaft the difficulty in keeping the machine steadywhen rough work is to be done is very great, the same being apt to bedragged out of a straight line when strain is applied. yIn my device,however, by arranging the sprocket-wheel in the middle of the handleboth hands can be used to apply the power and at the same time to steadythe machine, the same being impelled by pressure against thebreast-frame; and, further, by transmitting the power to both ends ofthe cuttershaft the disadvantages above mentioned are avoided.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

l. In a lawn-mower, in combination with a suitable frame and handle, arotatable cutter, `a shaft carrying the same having bearings in theframe, wheels, as cl2, secured on each end of said shaft, a secondshaft, as f, provided with wheels d at its ends and with acentrally-located pulley or wheel Z1', connection between said wheels CZda wheel or pulley pivoted in the handle near the upper part thereof andin line with the wheel b and having a handle on each side for drivingthe same, and driving-.connections between said wheel and the wheel b',substantially as described.

2. In a lawn-mower, in combination with a suitable frame and handle, arotatable cutter, a shaft carrying the same having bearings in theframe, wheels, as d2, secured on each end ofn said shaft, a secondshaft, Yas f, provided .Y

